to be in the middle because they re starting from these positions. i have a feeling that when a deal is done and i think one will get done, barnicle, i know you re a pessimist, i m an optimist they re going to raise that $250,000. that will be a gift to the republicans. and then maybe we ll see reducing mortgage interest deductions from $1 million, which is how much you can deduct now, to $750,000. it will be somewhere in the middle between those two things. second homes, and there s a lot of running room there, you re right. i think one of the problems here is that you don t have relationships. boehner and the president, very little trust, even though, as you ve pointed out, joe, john boehner is right now the best friend that bill clinton that, excuse me, that barack obama in wanting a deal can have. but unlike bill clinton, they don t have relationships. boehner was there sunday night for the congressional christmas party. there was no conversation even monday night. i don t